Verbal Diorama is a podcast all about How It's Done. It being movies, and to be honest, this one is as Golden as they come. I'm Free to Takedown the history and legacy of KPop Demon Hunters, with the outcome of me becoming Your Idol. This is What It Sounds Like... my little Soda Pop.

When director Maggie Kang set out to create an animated musical combining K-pop, Korean mythology, and a demon-slaying girl group, she had a clear vision: to make a film authentically rooted in Korean culture. After more than a decade working on major animated projects, Kang pitched what she called her "love letter to K-pop" and her Korean heritage to Sony Pictures Animation. The result was KPop Demon Hunters, a film that would go on to become a global phenomenon that no-one saw coming.

The film's success exceeded all expectations. KPop Demon Hunters became Netflix's most-watched film ever with over 500 million views, surpassing even Squid Game. The soundtrack made history as the first film soundtrack to place four songs in the Billboard Hot 100's top ten simultaneously, with lead single "Golden" holding the number one spot for eight weeks. The song earned five Grammy nominations, and songwriter EJAE became the first Korean American woman nominated for Song of the Year.

KPop Demon Hunters represents a significant evolution in the Korean Wave. Created by a largely non-Korean production team in America, the film nonetheless maintained deep cultural authenticity, from its references to Korean girl groups of the past, and to Korean shamanism, to the small details like how characters use their chopsticks. It combines vibrant animation with KPop culture, creating a unique visual and audible feast. The soundtrack is not just catchy; it's Golden.

Play me on repeat 끝없이 in your head.

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Ear Worthy 2024 Best Movie Podcast Winner | Golden Lobes 2025 Earworm Award Nominee | Ear Worthy 2025 Best Movie Podcast Nominee

Verbal Diorama is hosted, produced, edited, researched, recorded and marketed by me, Em.

Theme Music: Verbal Diorama Theme Song

Music by Chloe Enticott - Compositions by Chloe

Lyrics by Chloe Enticott (and me!)

Production by Ellis Powell-Bevan of Ewenique Studio

Current Patrons: Simon, Laurel, Derek, Cat, Andy, Mike, Luke, Michael, Scott, Brendan, Ian, Lisa, Sam, Jack, Stuart, Nicholas, Zo, Kev, Heather, Danny, Stu, Brett, Philip M, Xenos, Sean, Ryno, Philip K, Adam, Elaine, Kyle, Aaron and Sebastian

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They scare, because they care. But do they? Do they really?

Animation Season 2026 kicks off with Pixar's fourth feature, turning 25 years old this year, the incomparable Monsters, Inc.

In the world of Monsters, Inc., fear is a power source, and children's screams fuel the world of Monstropolis, which is both clever and a bit dark. This is a bright colourful movie, that cleverly hides its darkness from kids, but adults will see it everywhere.

James P. Sullivan, as Monsters Incorporated's number one scarer, has no idea that his world is literally about to be changed by a three-year-old human girl, who finds herself in Monstropolis. His best friend Mike Wazowski is an eyeball with arms and legs who just wants to put that thing back where it came from, or so help me!

Originally titled Monsters, Monsters, Inc transformed from the story of an accountant in their 30s reliving childhood fears of monsters, to a story about scaring just being the monsters' day jobs. Neither Sulley nor Mike were in the original pitch, both characters evolved massively over time.

The production of Monsters, Inc. involved significant technological advancements for Pixar - only six years after Toy Story - especially in fur animation, making Sulley's character feel more lifelike and relatable. And bizarrely, also tentacles.

Animation isn't just for kids; it’s a versatile art form that can tell deep stories, as seen in the exploration of themes like fear and love in Monsters, Inc. It cleverly critiques societal fears and misconceptions, showing how characters are shaped by the narratives they believe—like the monsters thinking children are toxic.

I'm pretty sure kids aren't toxic, though, right? RIGHT?

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Ear Worthy 2024 Best Movie Podcast Winner | Golden Lobes 2025 Earworm Award Nominee | Ear Worthy 2025 Best Movie Podcast Nominee

Verbal Diorama is hosted, produced, edited, researched, recorded and marketed by me, Em.

Theme Music: Verbal Diorama Theme Song

Music by Chloe Enticott - Compositions by Chloe

Lyrics by Chloe Enticott (and me!)

Production by Ellis Powell-Bevan of Ewenique Studio

Current Patrons: Simon, Laurel, Derek, Cat, Andy, Mike, Luke, Michael, Scott, Brendan, Ian, Lisa, Sam, Jack, Stuart, Nicholas, Zo, Kev, Heather, Danny, Stu, Brett, Philip M, Xenos, Sean, Ryno, Philip K, Adam, Elaine, Kyle, Aaron and brand-new patron Sebastian!

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The Emperor's New Groove, unfortunately lumbered as part of the blame for the beginning of the end of Disney's Renaissance period, is actually three movies in one:

1. The original movie that was never made, Kingdom of the Sun
2. The movie we got
3. And the documentary that Disney does not want you to see, The Sweatbox

In this episode, I'm going to be telling you about all three; plus the alleged DreamWorks plan by ex-Disney chief Jeffrey Katzenberg to beat Disney to release with The Road to El Dorado, the fact The Emperor's New Groove didn't have a script until two weeks after it was released, and how The Emperor's New Groove accurately predicted the tonal change to Hollywood animation in the 2000s.

If anyone asks you how did Disney managed to make The Emperor’s New Groove, you could just refer them to this episode, or you could simply say “well, ya got me, by all accounts, it doesn’t make sense”.

Mentioned in this episode:

From the Archive

There's no new episode this week, so I thought you might be interested in revisiting this slightly older, but no less brilliant episode. Just bear in mind, this episode is several years old, it may not sound quite as polished as newer episodes, and new information may have come to light in recent years with regards to the making of this movie (please see above for the original date of release)

Santa Claus: The Movie was an ambitious holiday spectacular that was supposed to save the Salkinds' crumbling film empire. Fresh off the disappointing performances of Superman III and Supergirl, producers Alexander and Ilya Salkind bet $50 million on creating the definitive cinematic Santa Claus origin story, complete with backstory, a North Pole workshop brought to life, and a modern-day New York adventure featuring Dudley Moore as a renegade elf.

The Salkinds' signature approach to filmmaking, taking beloved existing characters and mounting lavish international co-productions outside the Hollywood system, had worked brilliantly for the first Superman films but was now straining under financial pressure. The father-son team assembled an impressive cast, constructed elaborate sets at Pinewood Studios, and poured resources into cutting-edge visual effects for Santa's flying sleigh. They envisioned a franchise that would become as iconic as their Superman films, a movie that would define Santa Claus for generations of children.

Instead, the film became another expensive disappointment that Christmas season, unable to recoup its massive budget despite its technical achievements and heartfelt performances. The planned holiday classic flopped at the box office in the US, but it has nonetheless found an affectionate cult following in the decades since, especially here in the UK.

It remains one of Britain's most loved Christmas movies. It’s pricey, overly-stuffed, extravagant, best enjoyed with a tipple, and full of nostalgia - a little bit like a traditional British Christmas to be honest.

I wish all of you and your families a very Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and a fantastic New Year. See you all in 2026!

I would love to hear your thoughts on Santa Claus: The Movie !

Verbal Diorama is now an award-winning podcast! Best Movie Podcast in the inaugural Ear Worthy Independent Podcast Awards and was nominated for the Earworm Award at the 2025 Golden Lobes.

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ABOUT VERBAL DIORAMA

Verbal Diorama is hosted, produced, edited, researched, recorded and marketed by me, Em | This podcast is hosted by Captivate, try it yourself for free.

Theme Music: Verbal Diorama Theme Song. Music by Chloe Enticott - Compositions by Chloe. Lyrics by Chloe Enticott (and me!) Production by Ellis Powell-Bevan of Ewenique Studio

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Scrooged, a modern 80s retelling of Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol" stars Bill Murray as a cynical, mean-spirited TV executive who finally learns the true meaning of Christmas, but its production was marred with difficulties.

After a four-year hiatus following the overwhelming success of Ghostbusters, Bill Murray returned to acting for this passion project. But before signing on, Murray literally tore apart the original script with screenwriters Mitch Glazer and Michael O'Donoghue to completely rework it, particularly the romantic subplot and family scenes.

What followed was one of Hollywood's most notorious productions. Director Richard Donner and Murray clashed constantly throughout the three-month shoot in New York City and Hollywood. Murray felt Donner rushed through takes and kept pushing him to perform louder and broader, while Donner struggled with Murray's improvisational style.

The $32 million production took a physical toll as well. Murray worked on dusty, smoky sets filled with fake snow that made him cough up blood. Co-star Carol Kane accidentally split his lip so badly during a scene that filming had to stop for several days. Co-writer O'Donoghue was equally miserable, claiming less than half the original script survived.

The film's iconic ending speech was almost entirely improvised by Murray, who went off-script and received a spontaneous ovation from the crew. O'Donoghue was less than impressed, but the moment became one of cinema's most memorable holiday monologues.

Scrooged adds layers of comedy and modern critique to Dickens' original text, showcasing not just the spirit of Christmas but a satirical look at the entertainment industry, and the commercialization of Christmas.

Yule Love It!

I would love to hear your thoughts on Scrooged !

Verbal Diorama is now an award-winning podcast! Best Movie Podcast in the inaugural Ear Worthy Independent Podcast Awards and was nominated for the Earworm Award at the 2025 Golden Lobes.

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ABOUT VERBAL DIORAMA

Verbal Diorama is hosted, produced, edited, researched, recorded and marketed by me, Em | This podcast is hosted by Captivate, try it yourself for free.

Theme Music: Verbal Diorama Theme Song. Music by Chloe Enticott - Compositions by Chloe. Lyrics by Chloe Enticott (and me!) Production by Ellis Powell-Bevan of Ewenique Studio

Patrons: Simon, Laurel, Derek, Cat, Andy, Mike, Luke, Michael, Scott, Brendan, Ian, Lisa, Sam, Jack, Stuart, Nicholas, Zo, Kev, Heather, Danny, Stu, Brett, Philip M, Xenos, Sean, Ryno, Philip K, Adam, Elaine, Kyle and Aaron.

In his chaotic quest for a Turbo Man doll, Howard Langston goes to extremes to find the toy on Christmas Eve. It's the stuff of Christmas slapstick comedy, right? In reality, society has always been obsessed with 'the must-have' gifts during the holiday season and parents have gone to even more extreme lengths for their kids, with both the Cabbage Patch riots of 1983 and the Power Rangers craze of 1993 proving beleaguered mums and dads will do anything to get the latest toy for their children, including chasing trucks and beating up store staff.

Arnold Schwarzenegger stars as Howard, a great mattress salesman, but a less-than-adequate husband and father. When his disappointed son tells him he wants a Turbo Man action figure, Howard springs into action on Christmas Eve, only to find every store out of stock. This is why you don't leave your Christmas shopping to the last minute!

Despite the initial poor reception, Jingle All the Way has become an unlikely holiday classic, and an effective satire of the commercialization of Christmas. The movie has found new life through annual holiday season rewatches, with nostalgia playing a significant role in its enduring popularity.

And in a weird twist of fate, the movie, which came out in November 1996, predicted exactly what parents would do to get a Tickle Me Elmo that year...

I would love to hear your thoughts on Jingle All the Way !

Verbal Diorama is now an award-winning podcast! Best Movie Podcast in the inaugural Ear Worthy Independent Podcast Awards and was nominated for the Earworm Award at the 2025 Golden Lobes.

CONTACT....

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SUPPORT VERBAL DIORAMA....

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ABOUT VERBAL DIORAMA

Verbal Diorama is hosted, produced, edited, researched, recorded and marketed by me, Em | This podcast is hosted by Captivate, try it yourself for free.

Theme Music: Verbal Diorama Theme Song. Music by Chloe Enticott - Compositions by Chloe. Lyrics by Chloe Enticott (and me!) Production by Ellis Powell-Bevan of Ewenique Studio

Patrons: Simon, Laurel, Derek, Cat, Andy, Mike, Luke, Michael, Scott, Brendan, Ian, Lisa, Sam, Jack, Stuart, Nicholas, Zo, Kev, Heather, Danny, Stu, Brett, Philip M, Xenos, Sean, Ryno, Philip K, Adam, Elaine, Kyle, Aaron and Conner

The Men in Black phenomenon started as rumours of a government agency, where strange men wearing black suits would visit witnesses of UFO sightings, and coerce and threaten them into silence. Real-life Men in Black sightings inspired countless conspiracy theories, making them a staple of UFO folklore since their first appearance in the late 1940s.

It was only a matter of time before these sinister men were turned into a comic book, and then adapted into a movie, but how did a dark, obscure comic get transformed into a summer blockbuster that would gross over $589 million worldwide and launch a franchise?

Director Barry Sonnenfeld and screenwriter Ed Solomon made the bold decision to completely reimagine Men in Black as a buddy-cop action-comedy, keeping only the core premise while building something entirely new around it, with the premise of New York being the hub of alien activity, and Earth a sanctuary for alien refugees.

Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones' on-screen chemistry made the titular Men in Black iconic, with Jones bringing his signature stoic humour to create the perfect counterbalance to Smith's energetic comedy, resulting in one of cinema's most memorable buddy cop pairings.

Men in Black's impressive practical effects work earned Rick Baker's team an Academy Award, with cutting-edge animatronics and makeup seamlessly blended with CGI from Industrial Light & Magic, creating a visual experience that still holds up today.

It's the perfect summer blockbuster, that was never intended or seen as a summer blockbuster. The script was constantly evolving, even into post-production, and the movie's plot was changed after test screenings forced an edit, and those changes would make Frank the Pug one of the most important characters in the movie...

I would love to hear your thoughts on Men in Black !

Verbal Diorama is now an award-winning podcast! Best Movie Podcast in the inaugural Ear Worthy Independent Podcast Awards and was nominated for the Earworm Award at the 2025 Golden Lobes.

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SUPPORT VERBAL DIORAMA....

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ABOUT VERBAL DIORAMA

Verbal Diorama is hosted, produced, edited, researched, recorded and marketed by me, Em | This podcast is hosted by Captivate, try it yourself for free.

Theme Music: Verbal Diorama Theme Song. Music by Chloe Enticott - Compositions by Chloe. Lyrics by Chloe Enticott (and me!) Production by Ellis Powell-Bevan of Ewenique Studio

Patrons: Simon, Laurel, Derek, Cat, Andy, Mike, Luke, Michael, Scott, Brendan, Ian, Lisa, Sam, Jack, Stuart, Nicholas, Zo, Kev, Heather, Danny, Stu, Brett, Philip M, Xenos, Sean, Ryno, Philip K, Adam, Elaine, Kyle, Aaron and Conner.

To celebrate the release of Wicked: For Good, we're off to see the wizard, the 200th episode of this podcast.

The Wizard of Oz is still as relevant, vibrant and perfect as ever. It was a beloved children’s book, that manifested into a cultural cinematic icon. And despite the colours, the textures, the joyous wonder of the wonderful world of Oz, there’s such a darkness to the story. 

The state-of-the-art, beautiful Technicolor world belies the pain, abuse, injuries and illnesses on set. Whoever said "art is pain" did might have been talking about the making of one of Hollywood’s outstanding masterpieces. While memories may have been tarnished over the years, and accounts vastly differ of the experience and treatment, that didn’t stop many from believing the set of The Wizard of Oz was cursed.

MGM took a huge risk making The Wizard of Oz. It would take 20 years to make a profit, but it would become one of the first 25 films to be included in the National Film Registry. It became a yearly family tradition through the advent of TV, then VHS, DVD and Blu-ray to become the most seen and most influential movie of all time.

The Wizard of Oz remains a timeless classic, with one of the most fascinating histories and legacies to ever be included on Verbal Diorama.

For more on the theft and eventual recovery of the ruby slippers, listen to the No Place Like Home Podcast

This episode was originally published on: 16th March 2023

Mentioned in this episode:

From the Archive

There's no new episode this week, so I thought you might be interested in revisiting this slightly older, but no less brilliant episode. Just bear in mind, this episode is several years old, it may not sound quite as polished as newer episodes, and new information may have come to light in recent years with regards to the making of this movie (please see above for the original date of release)

(500) Days of Summer arrived at a pivotal moment for romantic comedies. While the genre had dominated the box office throughout the early 2000s with reliable hits like The Proposal and 27 Dresses, audiences were growing weary of predictable formulas. Marc Webb's directorial debut, based on screenwriter Scott Neustadter's painful real-life breakup, offered something different: a relationship movie that openly declared itself "not a love story."

What made the film revolutionary wasn't just its structure, but its willingness to interrogate the rom-com fantasy itself. Tom isn't a charming hero—he's a guy who projects his own idealized narrative onto Summer, a woman who's been honest about not wanting a relationship.

It influenced how a generation thought about relationships and romantic expectations. The film's famous split-screen "Expectations vs. Reality" sequence became an instant classic for how brutally it captured the gap between romantic fantasy and truth. It sparked endless debates: was Summer the villain, or was Tom?

500 Days of Summer arrived just as the traditional studio rom-com was beginning its decline. It represented a self-aware turning point; proof that audiences were ready for more complex, honest explorations of modern relationships. In deconstructing the romantic comedy, it created something that resonated even more deeply: a bittersweet, deeply human story about growth, self-delusion, and the messy reality of love.

I would love to hear your thoughts on (500) Days of Summer !

Verbal Diorama is now an award-winning podcast! Best Movie Podcast in the inaugural Ear Worthy Independent Podcast Awards and was nominated for the Earworm Award at the 2025 Golden Lobes.

CONTACT....

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SUPPORT VERBAL DIORAMA....

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ABOUT VERBAL DIORAMA

Verbal Diorama is hosted, produced, edited, researched, recorded and marketed by me, Em | This podcast is hosted by Captivate, try it yourself for free.

Theme Music: Verbal Diorama Theme Song. Music by Chloe Enticott - Compositions by Chloe. Lyrics by Chloe Enticott (and me!) Production by Ellis Powell-Bevan of Ewenique Studio

Patrons: Simon, Laurel, Derek, Cat, Andy, Mike, Luke, Michael, Scott, Brendan, Ian, Lisa, Sam, Jack, Stuart, Nicholas, Zo, Kev, Heather, Danny, Stu, Brett, Philip M, Xenos, Sean, Ryno, Philip K, Adam, Elaine, Kyle, Aaron and Conner

From a doomed Arnold Schwarzenegger/Ridley Scott collaboration to Will Smith's blockbuster hit, the journey of I Am Legend to the screen is as dramatic as the apocalypse it depicts.

Three wildly different film adaptations, a legendary unmade version; this story of humanity's end keeps haunting Hollywood.

This is not the first adaptation of Richard Matheson's book I Am Legend. Vincent Price battled zombie-vampires in 1964's stark black-and-white thriller The Last Man on Earth. Charlton Heston faced off against intelligent albino mutants called "the Family" in 1971's, The Omega Man. Each adaptation changed the creatures, the cause of the apocalypse, and crucially, gave audiences hope where the book offered none.

With only 16 weeks of prep time, the Will Smith/Francis Lawrence version, this time named I Am Legend, spent years in development hell, and quickly went from a 40-page outline to a greenlit blockbuster, and to say it was chaotic is an understatement. Whole New York City blocks were closed off for filming, and one scene on the Brooklyn Bridge cost $5 million for just six nights of filming. One week into filming, director Francis Lawrence panicked and switched from practical makeup effects to CGI, extending post-production and inflating the budget. The team was still seeing finished visual effects shots just one month before the film's release, leading to last-minute reshoots to adjust the controversial ending.

I Am Legend offers a unique blend of action and deep emotional storytelling, highlighting human isolation and the struggle for survival, with one of the bestest canine companions in film. Will Smith's performance as Dr. Robert Neville is both captivating and heartbreaking, showcasing his character's descent into loneliness, and the eerie depiction of an empty New York City resonates deeply in today's world, reflecting on themes of loss and solitude in a pandemic context.

The Amalgamated Dynamics Ridley Scott version makeup tests are here

I would love to hear your thoughts on I Am Legend (2007) !

Verbal Diorama is now an award-winning podcast! Best Movie Podcast in the inaugural Ear Worthy Independent Podcast Awards and was nominated for the Earworm Award at the 2025 Golden Lobes.

CONTACT....

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SUPPORT VERBAL DIORAMA....

Give this podcast a five-star Rate & Review

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ABOUT VERBAL DIORAMA

Verbal Diorama is hosted, produced, edited, researched, recorded and marketed by me, Em | This podcast is hosted by Captivate, try it yourself for free.

Theme Music: Verbal Diorama Theme Song. Music by Chloe Enticott - Compositions by Chloe. Lyrics by Chloe Enticott (and me!) Production by Ellis Powell-Bevan of Ewenique Studio

Patrons: Simon, Laurel, Derek, Cat, Andy, Mike, Luke, Michael, Scott, Brendan, Ian, Lisa, Sam, Jack, Stuart, Nicholas, Zo, Kev, Heather, Danny, Stu, Brett, Philip M, Xenos, Sean, Ryno, Philip K, Adam, Elaine, Kyle, Aaron and Conner.